Marcus Ericsson Takes Second Place After Leading Late

IndyCar: Josef Newgarden Wins 2023 Indianapolis 500

Marcus Ericsson Takes Second Place After Leading Late

Newgarden Captures Second Career '500' Victory

Josef Newgarden emerged victorious in a thrilling 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, passing 2022 race winner Marcus Ericsson on the final lap. The victory marked Newgarden's second Indy 500 triumph and his second major win of the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season.

Ericsson, seeking to defend his crown, led the race for a majority of the final 20 laps but was denied a repeat victory by Newgarden's late charge. The Swedish driver had held the point for 44 laps before being overtaken by Newgarden with just two laps remaining.

The race was marred by three red flag interruptions in the closing laps, setting up a dramatic finish. The first caution came out on Lap 192 when Conor Daly crashed in Turn 2, followed by a second red flag on Lap 198 due to a multi-car accident involving Scott McLaughlin and Romain Grosjean. The final red flag occurred on Lap 199 when Jimmie Johnson made contact with the wall in Turn 2.

With two laps to go, the race resumed under a caution period. Newgarden, running on fresher tires, made a decisive move on Ericsson to take the lead heading into Turn 1 on the final lap. Ericsson chased hard but ultimately came up short, finishing just 0.0675 seconds behind Newgarden.

The victory was a defining moment for Newgarden, who had won the first race of the 2023 season at St. Petersburg. The 32-year-old American driver now has 25 career IndyCar victories, including two Indy 500 triumphs and six series championships.